Clinical effect of computer generated physician reminders in health screening in primary health care--a controlled clinical trial of preventive services among the elderly

• HIT Description: Decision support - Clinical reminders More info...
  
• Purpose of Study: To evaluate the effects of a program for computer generated physician reminders, integrated with an electronic health record system, for health screening in elderly patients.
  
• Years of study: 1993-1996
  
• Study Design: Controlled clinical trial
  
• Outcomes: Impact on health care effectiveness and quality
  

• Settings: Four primary health care centers in suburban Sweden
• Intervention: A computer reminder program that selects patients for screening in five areas: diabetes, hypertension, cobalamin deficiency, hypothyroidism, and anaemia
• Evaluation Method: 20 month clinical trial with a control group
• Description: The reminder system was triggered by MDs while reading the patient's electronic record. It adjusted the list of the five screening tests to the individual patient: i.e. tests were removed automatically if certain lab/history criteria were met.
• Interoperability: Reminders are part of EHR system
• Healthcare Utilization: Statistically significant, moderate or marked increase in the number of patients who were tested in all five intervention areas. A significant increase in pathological test results (1-8%) was found for hypertension and cobalamin deficiency.